Jewelry Sizing Details

Our Story

Gorilla Glass is a design and manufacturing studio focused on glass jewelry for body modification. We are based in Oaxaca, Mexico and have been in business since 2002. Years of technical innovation, constant experimentation and a love for design enables our skilled glass artisans to consistently produce our signature styles to the highest standards.

We are committed to creating long term employment opportunities for women and working mothers from the small communities near the workshop in southern Mexico. 85% of our artisans are women, as well as supervisors and administrators. Benefits for workers include paid training to learn a skilled professional trade, full health coverage for workers and their families, paid maternity leave, and free daycare near the Gorilla Glass studio.

Gorilla Glass is also committed to the environment. We have a new upcycling facility that reuses our waste glass from our fusing workshop to convert it into high quality glass jewelry. We also employ rainwater capture and reuse gray water in the garden to reduce our water consumption.

Do not confuse us with Corning’s Gorilla Glass who make thin, scratch resistant glass for smartphones.

Where can I purchase Gorilla Glass?

You can buy Gorilla Glass through a local retail store or online shop. Piercing studios and jewelry stores can buy wholesale directly from us. Here are the details for both options:

Retail: You can purchase Gorilla Glass through your local piercing studio. Use our retail locator to find and contact a quality piercing studio or a local piercer near you: getgorilla.com/retailLocator.

We encourage you to support your local boutique piercing shop. A professional studio will be able to help you reach your goal size safely, sterilize your jewelry in an autoclave, give you advice on stretching or new piercings, and advise you on proper aftercare. In addition, professional piercers are jewelry experts who are familiar with the top jewelry brands, the latest jewelry releases, and will be able to help you order rare and tailor-made jewelry from us. Additionally, our yearly Collections are available exclusively through Brick & Mortar shops!

Online Shops: If you do not live near a high-quality piercing studio, let us know at sales@getgorilla.com and we'll do our best to help you!

Wholesale: Piercing studios and jewelry stores can buy our products directly through our website. If you are the owner of a piercing studio, tattoo shop or jewelry store, you can fill out the application form here: getgorilla.com/signup.

Once approved you will be able to place wholesale orders through our online shopping cart.

We also take orders through email at sales@getgorilla.com, or by phone call at (831) 469-3665. Our office hours are from Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Central Standard Time)

Where can I find vintage Gorilla Glass designs?

Gorilla Glass manufactures limited edition and seasonal collections that are only available while stock lasts. These are collectors’ editions and you should make sure to get them while they are available.

We also have a new Classic section on our website which has vintage Gorilla Glass styles that are no longer part of our regular product line. You will find Teardrop Plugs, old Weight designs such as the Rhomboids and Cocoons and much more in this section! We are happy to make these styles to order.

I am looking for plugs bigger than 1" but I can't find them listed on the website.

Not all plug styles are available larger than 1”, depending on the glass process we use to manufacture your plugs. If you do not see your size listed on the web site, send us an e-mail to sales@getgorilla.com and we will let you know if we can make them as a custom order.

What is your return policy?

We stand by the quality of our jewelry 100%. However, every glass piece will have unique variations of color and size, as is the nature of handmade items. We do our best to create matching or complementary pairs, and will always listen to your concerns and feedback about your order.

If a piece we shipped from our studio in Oaxaca arrives broken, damaged, defective or is not what you ordered, please send us a photo to sales@getgorilla.com to review it. Keep in mind that open, used, resized or otherwise altered pieces won’t be accepted for return after delivery. Once we review the incident, we will replace the damaged jewelry.

If you ordered jewelry from a store, studio, or online shop, you will have to make the return directly with the piercing studio or online shop that you purchased it from. We only take responsibility for orders that have been sent directly from our studio in Oaxaca.

My jewelry arrived broken! What should I do?

We stand by the quality of our jewelry 100%. Sometimes accidents happen and a piece of glass is broken during shipping. In case your item arrives broken, please send us a photo to sales@getgorilla.com to review it. Keep in mind that used, resized or otherwise altered pieces won’t be accepted for return after delivery. Once we review the incident, we will offer credit on your next Gorilla Glass order or we will replace the jewelry with free shipping, depending on your preference.

If you ordered jewelry from a store, studio, or online shop, you will have to make the return directly with the piercing studio or online shop that you purchased it from. We only take responsibility for orders that have been sent directly from our studio in Oaxaca.

How do I register for wholesale purchases?

You can register your studio or store for wholesale at getgorilla.com/signup. When you fill the application form your request will go through a screening process where we validate the information given. You will receive a confirmation email within one business day.

Once we approve your account you will be able to add products to your shopping cart, download the complete price list, place orders online or by phone and track your order throughout the shipping process.

I registered my account but never received confirmation.

Do you offer Association of Professional Piercers (APP) and APP UK members discounts?

Yes, APP and APP UK members have a 5% discount when they register on the website. Please check the appropriate box on our registration form if you are an APP member. You may be asked to present proof of active membership.

Help! I forgot my password!

If you can´t remember your password click on the “Did you forget your password?” button on the login page here. Enter your email and you will receive an email shortly with your new password. If you don’t receive your reset password or have any problems during this process, don’t hesitate to contact us at systems@getgorilla.com.

How do I place a wholesale order?

There are three options to place a wholesale order.

Shopping Cart

Our online shopping cart is the easiest and most accurate way to place an order. It contains the most up to date catalog and prices. You can also check sizes and color availability for all our styles on the individual product pages.

Once you are registered you can log in to our website here. After logging in you can navigate the catalog. When you find a product you are interested in, click on it. Once you are on the product page, click on the blue band at the bottom of the screen that reads “Click here to select the size and color”. The shopping cart interface will appear, allowing you to select the size, color, texture, and quantity of the item. Products you add to your order will be listed and a subtotal will be displayed. Keep in mind that all items on the shopping cart are single pieces. You must order two pieces to receive a matching pair.

When you are ready to send the order, click on the blue button that reads “Choose a shipping method and place the order”. This will take you to the final screen. Follow the four steps displayed on-screen and click the green button at the button labeled “Send the order”.

Email

You can also place your order by email as a spreadsheet. To avoid delays on your order and expedite processing please specify all the details about your jewelry on the spreadsheet: style, size, color, flare style, wearable length, and quantity of the items you want and send them to sales@getgorilla.com.

You can reference product information including flare options, color availability, and product codes on the individual product pages on the getgorilla.com website.

Phone call

If you prefer to place your order by phone, please call us from Monday to Friday at (831) 469-3665 and our sales manager will help you to submit your order. Our office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Central Standard Time)

The phone is the safest way to provide us with your credit card information.

What happens after I place my order?

After you have placed your order (through the shopping cart, by email, or by phone) our sales team will get in touch with you about your order. Orders generally take one to two weeks to be ready to ship, depending on the size of the order and our current workload.

Once your order is ready to ship, our team will send you a final invoice for confirmation. You can expedite the processing of your order by choosing to pre-confirm your payment on the website. This option will be available in the final screen of the shopping cart. Selecting this option means we will charge your card and send the package as soon as we have the order ready.

Can I add pieces to an existing order?

You cannot modify a shopping cart order after it has been submitted through the “Send the Order” button. However, as long as your package hasn’t been shipped, you can place a new order through the shopping cart. We will send your orders together to reduce shipping expenses. If you made your order by email or phone call, feel free to send us an email with the extra pieces you need to sales@getgorilla.com or call us at (831) 469-3665, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Central Standard Time)

Can I modify orders that I placed through the shopping cart?

You cannot modify a shopping cart order after it has been submitted through the “Send the Order” button. However, as long as your package hasn’t been shipped, you can place a new order through the shopping cart. We will send your orders together to reduce shipping expenses.You can also send us an email to sales@getgorilla.com or call us at (831) 469-3665 to add or cancel items in your existing order before we send it to you. Our office hours are from Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Central Standard Time)

Do you make custom orders?

We love to collaborate with our customers! Our specialty is designing and handcrafting tailor-made glass jewelry. Send us an email to sales@getgorilla.com with your ideas and we will be happy to advise you and provide you with a quote. We make custom lengths and flares for plugs, custom graphics, unique color combinations, jewelry for special ocassions such as weddings, and more! The cost and production time for tailor made jewelry depends on the complexity of the individual request.

Should I order pairs or single pieces?

When you place an order for piercing jewelry through the shopping cart, all items listed are single pieces. To receive a matching pair you must order two pieces. If you order a single piece, we cannot guarantee it is going to perfectly match another piece of jewelry that you already have, even if it is of the same style and color. Colors vary from individual glass batches and proportions of jewelry styles occasionally change and evolve over time.

Can I order a single piece of jewelry?

Yes, you can. We do our best to create matching or complementary pairs. However, if you order a single piece, we cannot guarantee it will match another piece you already have perfectly, even if it is of the same style and color. Colors vary from individual glass batches and proportions of jewelry styles occasionally change and evolve over time.

Do you offer bulk discounts?

When and how are payments made?

We accept payments through VISA, Mastercard, PayPal and for orders over $1,000.00 American Express.
We also accept bank transfers for orders over $1500.00. The bank voucher is needed to start processing your order.
If you want the fastest service possible you have the option to pre-confirm your order on the shopping cart. On the last step before placing the order, you will be offered the following option:

"Do you wish to confirm your final invoice before we charge your card and ship your order?"

By choosing the option:

"No. Please charge the card you have on file and ship my order as soon as possible."

Your order will be processed faster.

If this is your first order or we otherwise don’t have your card information on file, you can contact us at sales@getgorilla.com, or by phone call at (831) 469-3665. Our office hours are from Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Central Standard Time)

Occasionally there may be small differences between your initial invoice and your final invoice. These may be due to changes in the order, additional custom requests, or adjustments to the shipping cost.

If you prefer to confirm your final invoice we will only process your payment after sending your invoice and receiving authorization from you to charge the card. If you choose this second option please look out for our emails or phone calls as we cannot ship your order without your confirmation.

Can I use Paypal to pay my order?

Yes! PayPal is a safe and easy way to pay and also a good alternative if your credit card is blocked for foreign payments. If you want to use Paypal to pay your incoice please send us your email address. We will send you a payment request and process your order.

Why did my credit card block my Gorilla Glass order?

Gorilla Glass is incorporated in Mexico and all orders are charged from our Mexican bank account. Credit Card companies sometimes block international credit card payments due to bank security measures. This is for your protection, although it can be frustrating as it creates delays and extra steps for processing the payment for your order.
In order to avoid this delay, one option is to get in contact with your bank and solicit an International Prepaid Card accepted worldwide to ensure that we can process future payments, or to call your credit card company and authorize the charge personally. PayPal is another option to pay without credit card delays.

For customers within the USA we offer shipping with UPS Ground or the American Postal Service. We charge according to the weight and size of the package. Orders are manufactured and completed in our HQ in Mexico and then shipped to our distribution center in Oregon before being shipped to you. We make consolidated shipments of individual orders to our distribution center two to three times a week. The packages are then shipped from Oregon to you. The consolidated shipments take an average of three business days to arrive in Oregon, and then an additional three to five business days to reach you, depending on where you are located within the USA. You can expect to receive your order from six to eight business days from being shipped from the GG HQ in Oaxaca.

We will send you your UPS or USPS tracking number once the order is shipped. It may take a couple of days for the package to register in the system while the consolidated shipment is in transit from Mexico to our distribution center in Oregon. You can also look for your tracking number in your 'Order History' tab at getgorilla.com/OrderHistory website if you are logged in as a wholesale customer and placed your order through our shopping cart.

We also offer free direct shipping for orders within the USA that are $1,000.00 or more. Direct shipping generally takes 3-5 business days to arrive, depending on where you are based in the USA. You can also choose direct shipping if your order is under $1,000.00 for $40.00.

We offer direct shipping from our production facility in Oaxaca, Mexico to Canada using UPS Express or FED EX.

We will send you your FEDEX or UPS tracking number once the order is shipped. You can also look for your tracking number in your 'Order History' tab at getgorilla.com/OrderHistory website if you are logged in as a wholesale customer and placed your order through our shopping cart.

We offer direct shipping from our production facility in Oaxaca, Mexico to Europe using UPS Express or FEDEX.

We will send you your FEDEX or UPS tracking number once the order is shipped. You can also look for your tracking number in your 'Order History' tab at getgorilla.com/OrderHistory website if you are logged in as a wholesale customer and placed your order through our shopping cart.

We offer direct shipping from our production facility in Oaxaca, Mexico to Australia using UPS Express or FEDEX.

We will send you your FEDEX or UPS tracking number once the order is shipped. You can also look for your tracking number in your 'Order History' tab at getgorilla.com/OrderHistory website if you are logged in as a wholesale customer and placed your order through our shopping cart.

We offer direct shipping from our production facility in Oaxaca, Mexico to Asia using UPS Express or FEDEX.

We will send you your FEDEX or UPS tracking number once the order is shipped. You can also look for your tracking number in your 'Order History' tab at getgorilla.com/OrderHistory website if you are logged in as a wholesale customer and placed your order through our shopping cart.

How long does it take to ship my order?

Occasionally there are delays in shipping if there is a problem processing or confirming your payment. If you want the fastest service possible you have the option to pre-confirm your order on the shopping cart. Before placing the order, you will be offered the following option:

"Do you wish to confirm your final invoice before we charge your card and ship your order?"

By choosing the option

"No. Please charge the card you have on file and ship my order as soon as possible."

your order will be processed faster.

If this is your first order or we otherwise don’t have your card information on file, you can contact us at sales@getgorilla.com or by phone call at (831) 469-3665 to provide us with your payment information.

How do I take care of my glass jewelry?

Clean your jewelry on a regular basis using warm soapy water. Store your jewelry in a secure, dry place. When traveling, pack each piece of jewelry separately to avoid scratching or damaging your glass. Remove your jewelry when showering and before going to bed to avoid it falling out of your ear accidentally. Remove your jewelry before playing sports or other physical activity. Treat your glass jewelry with the same common sense you would treat a pair of eye glasses.

Is glass safe to wear in body piercings?

Yes, glass is safe to wear in body piercings. We recommend you to use your common sense regarding its fragile nature. Please remove your jewelry before engaging in athletic activities involving physical contact. Also remove your glass before taking a shower or bathing to avoid accidental breakage on the porcelain floor.

What are the advantages of glass for piercing jewelry?

Glass is one of the best materials for body piercing and the material of choice for stretching with professional piercers.
One of the biggest advantages of glass for piercing jewelry is its non-porous, extremely smooth surface. This allows for easy and frictionless insertion and removal of the jewelry. It also means that the jewelry can be easily cleaned and will not collect bacteria within a porous structure such as acrylic or wood.

Another benefit of choosing our glass for your piercings is the availability of intermediate gauge sizes, allowing for very small stretching increments. In addition, glass is light weight (comfortable to wear), odorless (who wants stinky plugs?), and if you live in a cold climate, the glass will not freeze to your ear like metal jewelry. In addition if you need to have an x-ray and want to wear jewelry to keep you piercing healthy, glass is a safe alternative to use for x-ray scans.

In addition to these mechanical properties of glass, glass is also an aesthetically beautiful material available in many different colors and shapes.
Always consult with a professional piercer before stretching. A professional piercer will be able to autoclave your glass jewelry and give you the best advice about how fast to stretch to avoid damaging your earlobes.

Can you autoclave glass jewelry?

What kinds of glass does Gorilla Glass use in production?

Glass is not one material, but many. Different glass types are used for different glass techniques. Here is a brief overview of some of the glass types and production techniques we use at Gorilla Glass.

Flame Sculpted Borosilicate Glass: Borosilicate glass is commonly known as the brand name “Pyrex”. Borosilicate glass is widely used in the scientific industry because of its resistance to chemical corrosion and thermal shock. Borosilicate glass has a tough surface resistant to scratching making borosilicate plugs some of the most durable glass jewelry available. Gorilla Glass uses borosilicate for its unique color palette. The composition of borosilicate is approximately as follows; (80%) silica, (13%) boric oxide, (4%) sodium oxide and (2-3%) aluminum oxide. Borosilicate glass is defined as any glass type with at least (5%) of boron oxide in the composition.

Flame Sculpted Soda Lime Glass: Soda lime glass is the most common glass type, used widely in food and beverage containers, windows, and art glass. It contains three major compounds in varying proportions, but usually silica (60-75%), soda (12-18%), and lime (5-12%). Gorilla Glass uses soda lime glass for its range of pure, transparent colors. Glass rods are re-heated on a torch and flame sculpted into their final form. Individual glass artisans need a high level of experience in order to produce the consistency and quality that represents Gorilla Glass.

Fused and Carved Soda Lime Glass: Fusing glass has a tradition that goes back to the beginning of glass making. Gorilla Glass utilizes modern technology to improve on ancient techniques. Glass sheets and billets (blocks of glass) are cut into patterns and re-fused in special computer-controlled kilns to eliminate thermal stresses. After the designs have been fused and brought down to room temperature, the blocks of glass are carved into their final form in the lapidary shop using diamond coated tools. Fusing and carving glass is done by teams of specialized glass artisans working together. Soda lime glass contains three major compounds in varying proportions, but usually silica (60-75%), soda (12-18%), and lime (5-12%).

Blown Barium Crystal: Hot glass in a molten state is wound around a steel “blowpipe” before being blown into a large bubble by a specialized team of glass workers. The bubble is drawn into a long cylinder of glass, then cut into sections and cooled slowly to room temperature in computer-controlled ovens to remove thermal stress. Afterwards, a second team of glass workers take the glass tubes and cut, grind, and polish them into ear plugs and hoops in the “Cold Shop”.

Barium crystal is a high-end glass used in the cosmetics and beverage industry. Similar to soda lime glass in composition, a small amount of barium in the glass melt increases the density and the transparency of the glass, making it more brilliant. Gorilla Glass uses barium crystal for only two products, Lifesaver Plugs and Pharaoh Weights.

Obsidian, Volcanic Glass: Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass. The composition of obsidian is similar to soda lime glass. Obsidian has the longest history of use by humans of any glass type, being shaped into arrowheads and spear points since pre-historic times. Ancient Mesoamerican civilizations used obsidian extensively, and Mesoamerican artisans developed an incredible degree of skill in glass carving and polishing to create delicate ear spools, plugs, and labrets for priests and warriors. Obsidian comes in a range of colors including black, gray, green, silver, gold, snow flake, and rainbow obsidian. Obsidian sometimes has air bubbles and inclusions of other materials. We use Mexican obsidian and carve it into plugs and labrets in our lapidary shop using diamond coated tools.

Does Gorilla Glass melt their own glass colors?

At Gorilla Glass we don’t formulate our own glass colors. Our raw materials are specialty glass types that are manufactured as rods, sheets, or blocks of glass. The raw glass material comes from different parts of the world including the United States, Italy and the Czech Republic. Once the raw material is imported into Mexico and delivered to the Gorilla Glass production studio, we transform it into jewelry by re-melting the glass on a torch, in a furnace or kiln, or carve it into jewelry using lapidary equipment.

Where does the glass come from?

Our raw materials are specialty glass types that are manufactured as rods, sheets, or blocks of glass. The raw glass material comes from different parts of the world including the United States, Italy and the Czech Republic. Once the raw material is imported into Mexico and delivered to the Gorilla Glass production studio, we transform it into jewelry by re-melting the glass on a torch, in a furnace or kiln, or carve it into jewelry using lapidary equipment.

What is dichroic glass?

Dichroic is not a glass type in itself, but rather a coating applied to a glass sheet or object. Technically speaking, dichroic is a multi-layer coating of vaporized quartz crystal and metal oxides fused on the surface of glass in a special vacuum chamber. The main characteristic of dichroic glass is that it has a transmitted color and a completely different reflective color as certain wavelengths of light either pass through or are reflected. Furthermore, these two colors shift depending on the angle of view.
In other words, dichroic glass reflects a range of dazzling colors depending on the angle of the light to the glass surface!
Dichroic glass was originally created for the aerospace industry for coating satellite mirrors, but it now has many technical and artistic applications.

What are the metal hooks in your earrings made of?

Does Gorilla Glass make in-between gauge sizes?

We do! Simple Plugs are now available in intermediate sizes through our shopping cart. Using our intermediate size plugs will ensure the best possible stretching and healing experience for your customers.

If you are interested in having other styles made with in-between sizes, let us know about your special request at sales@getgorilla.com.

What is the difference between Wearable Length, Total Length and Overall Length?

Total Length refers to the size measured starting from the back of the flare to the end of the plug.

Wearable Length is the length of the piece that will be in contact with your ear lobes.

Overall Length is the length of the whole plug, including the front of the plug.

Usually, the Total Length of a plug is the Wearable Length +3mm. These +3mm allow space for the o-ring.

For example, our standard Wearable Length is 9mm (3/8”) with a corresponding Total Length of 12mm (1/2”).

Additionally, the Overall Length including the front of a 9mm plug is 16mm (5/8”).

To avoid confusion, we prefer that you order custom pieces by indicating the Total Length.

People with thicker earlobes may need a longer wearable length. People with thinner earlobes or for cartilage piercings you may want a shorter wearable length. We offer two different lengths of Color Front Plugs and Simple Plugs so that you have a choice according to your preference as a professional piercer. We also offer single flare plugs with a gentle groove to help secure the o-ring. We are happy to make custom lengths on plugs for a small custom fee.

What are the dimensions of a custom labret?

We are aware of how important it is to have the perfect length on your piercing jewelry. There are 3 dimensions to consider when ordering a custom labret: The Total Length the post, the flare size and your gauge size.

Our standard labret Total Length is ½” (12.7mm), but we are happy to make custom lengths for a small custom fee. Usually, the size of the base is your piercing diameter +3mm per side of the oval shape. This length can also be modified according to your preference as a professional piercer.

If the length of the post or the size of the is not specified we will make them to our standard size.